Ginnungagap, with the icy realm of Niflhelm and the fiery

realm of Muspell

Maurisoft. “Ginnungagap.” Abc Dioses. 29 Jan. 2002. 1 Oct. 2003 <http://abcdioses.noneto.com/escan/dioses1/ginungagap.htm>.

Ymir nourishing himself on Audhumia’s milk

Giacobazzi, Frederic. “Classical Norse: Ymir.” Image Gallery for the Study of Myth 26 Feb. 2001. 29 Sep. 2003 < http://www.kirtland.cc.mi.us/honors/goddess/images/ymir.jpg>.

Ryan Abbott

Christy

Hansen

Jens

Magelssen

Heather

Smith

Period 6Classics &

Shakespeare

Bowern, Steven. 29 Sep. 2003 <http://www.stevenbowerman.com>.

Edwards, Marc B. 29 Sep.

2003

<www.marcedwards.com/

company_

history_info.htm>.

• Scandinavia refers to three Northern European countries: Sweden and Norway (together form Scandinavian Peninsula), Denmark– Classified as such due to linguistic, cultural &

historical similarities– Sometimes term includes Iceland; less

frequently inclusion of Finland because not linguistically related

• Scandinavians speak closely connected groupings of Germanic languages: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Faeroese

• Comprised of two of three Scandinavian countries: Sweden & Norway– Denmark physiographical is

part of North European Plain rather than peninsula itself

• Almost ¼ of peninsula exists north of Arctic Circle

• Bordered by Atlantic & Arctic Oceans, the North & Baltic Seas, the Gulf of Bothnia, & the Skagerrak & Kattegat straits

• Mountainous in western region • Western coast of peninsula

intensely grooved by fjords

Scandinavian PeninsulaCadêJur. 29 Sep. 2003 <www.cadejur.com.br/html/busca/ mapa_scandinavia.asp>.

Landry, Michel. 29 Sep. 2003

<www.cvm.qc.ca/mlandry/folklore/

vikings.JPG>.

• 9th – 11th century Scandinavian warriors invaded British Isles & European coasts– 800 A.D. -1050 A.D.: known as

the Viking Age• Systematic raids of neighbors

progressively changed to ruthless forays

• Initially Vikings most superior sailors & shipbuilders in world

• Reasons driven from own lands: overpopulation, internal disagreement, pursuit of trade, desire for adventure– Several Scandinavian

kingdoms arose: Sweden, Norway, Denmark

• Extended family• Head of Household

responsible for family well-being

• Women had significant role in society: wife of ‘head of household’ saw to food & farm animals, making medicine from herbs, cared for sick & wounded, ran farm in husband’s absence

Social Norms

Hinds, Margaret. 3 Sep. 2003. 29 Sep. 2003 <osfodin.ksc.nasa.gov/>.

• Fundamental economy of Scandinavia was agriculture (grain, cattle, stock grazing); also fishing & sea trade

• Lived by fishing, farming, trading mainly by sea

• Vikings international tradesmen, trading spices & silk for slaves, trading furs, skins & walrus tusk ivory

• Slavery performed important role in economy

• Vikings encouraged urban growth

• Scandinavian artisans masters of wood carving & metalwork– Samples of artwork

survived from 10th & 11th century

• Know little about sounds of Viking music– Vikings knew nothing

about musical notation so culture progressively became part of Christian European culture

“Viking Art.” Microsoft Encarta

Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft

Corporation. 1993-2002.

“Celts.” Microsoft Encarta Reference

Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft

Corporation. 1993-2002.

• Greatest degree conserved in Old Norse literature of Icelandic writings within the Eddas, sagas, skaldic poetry, & ballads

• Writings not present until after Christianity founded (c. 1000 A.D.)

• c. 1100-c. 1350 A.D.: oral poetry & new compositions laid down

• Iceland’s loss of independence to Norway in 13th century led to disappearance of literary activity

• Freedom of Divine Will in its clash with nature’s conflicting forces

• Soul’s free struggle against material barriers

• Polytheistic (belief in more than one god)– Gods perpetually at war

• Systems of dualism: summer, sunshine, growth in constant combat with winter, snow, ocean, terrestrial fire

The Key Concept of Belief

• Worship initially performed outdoors near sacred wells or stones or beneath guardian trees

• Wooden temples adorned with altars & carvings of gods used later on– Most prominent temple

at Old Uppsala, Sweden where sacrificial animals & humans met demise

Religious Ritual

Malcolm, R. Brown, Jr. “Gamla Uppsala, Sweden.” 30 Apr. 2002. 27 Sep. 2003<www.botany.utexas.edu/.../sweden/ OldUppsala/default.htm>.

• Vikings encountered Christianity when Olav Tryggvason journeyed from England with ships in 995 A.D. to claim Norway’s throne & bring Christianity to land

• Danes long before were already familiar with Christianity– Reason why conversion to Christianity so swift?

• Viking Age ceased with intro of Christianity into Scandinavia, the creation of the three kingdoms, & with European states’ ability to defend against intrusions

• Substantiation is profuse, but incomplete & scattered

• Origins rooted in Germanic peoples’ mythology

• Extracted from Germanic mythology own myths & legends concerning gods, archaic heroes, & universe’s creation & ruin

• Pre-Christian beliefs of Scandinavians• Uncertainty regarding original pagan

religious beliefs, habits, sentiments

Basic Information

Gods

Bulfinch, Thomas. “Northern Mythology.” Bulfinch’s Mythology. 1996-1999. 27 Sep. 2003 <http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull38.html>

• Principle gods of Scandinavian mythology:– Odin: chief of gods– Thor: god of thunder &

protector– Frey: god of fertility &

prosperity

Odin

Mythological Heroes• Believed to be descendents of gods

• Possibly derived from factual persons

• Vikings left legacy of archaeological remains: ship burials of men & women, in burial site treasures, & memorial stones depicting mythical scenes

• Bestowed place names, fieldnames, family names

• Local dialect, customs, folk tales, oral traditions, genetic makeup of local peoples

• Several English words, as well as German, Dutch, Irish, & French, are descended directly from Viking words

THESIS: Given that the Scandinavians identified closely with the gods, their tendencies to overpower neighbors, which exhibited the importance of strength within the society, are mirrored in the Creation Myth by the brutal slaying of Ymir by his three grandsons and the transfer of power to Odin and his two brothers.

In order for Odin and the brothers to overthrow Ymir, they required physical strength and courage of mind. “As the gods, so the people (Clarke, James Freeman, D.D )”. These qualities are a reflection in Viking society demonstrated through their determination to uphold power through the aggressive accumulation of land and in their display of passing on the authority from the Head of the Household to the eldest son to sustain the family legacy. And so, one can see how mythological beliefs, as with religious beliefs, can have a profound influence on the ways of a civilization because there is always a strong link between how a society exists and the beliefs of its peoples.

Clarke, James Freeman, D.D. “2. Idea of Scandinavian Religion from ‘The Ten Great Religions’” The Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion 1899. 22 Sep. 2003 < http://www.vikingage.com/vac/religion2.html>.

How is Scandinavia’s culture reflected in its mythology?

“Nyholm, Jens. “Norwegian Language.” Microsoft

Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.“Old Norse Literature.” Columbia Encyclopedia.

Sixth Edition. 2003. 27 Sep. 2003

<http://encyclopedia.com/html/O/OldN1orse.asp>.

Rosenthal, Joel T. “The Vikings.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM.

Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.“Scandinavia.” Columbia Encyclopedia. Sixth

Edition. 2003. 27 Sep. 2003

<http://encyclopedia.com/html/s/scandinv.asp>.

“Scandinavian Mythology.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft

Corporation. 1993-2002.“Vikings.” Columbia Encyclopedia. Sixth Edition.

2003. 27 Sep. 2003 <http://encyclopedia.com/html/v/vikings.asp>.“Vikings.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library

2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.“Viking Art.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library

2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002. “Wood Carving.” Columbia Encyclopedia. Sixth

Edition. 2003. 27 Sep. 2003 <

http://encyclopedia.com/html/w1/woodcarv.asp>.

Celts.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation.

1993-2002.Cherry, Nicole. “Creation Myth.” Norse Mythology 4

Feb. 2001. 24 Sep. 2003

<http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~cherryne/myth.cgi/Creation.html>.

Clarke, James Freeman, D.D. “2. Idea of Scandinavian Religion from ‘The Ten Great

Religions’” The Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion 1899. 22 Sep. 2003

< http://www.vikingage.com/vac/religion2.html>.Friis, Erik J. “Swedish Literature.” Microsoft Encarta

Reference Library 2003. CD- ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002. “Kjølen Mountains.” Microsoft Encarta Reference

Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.Morley, David and Wigo Skråmm. “The Vikings.” The

Viking Network 3 Aug. 2001. 27 Sep. 2003< http://www.viking.no/e/index.html>.“Norwegian Literature.” Microsoft Encarta Reference

Library 2003. CD- ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.Nyholm, Jens. “Danish Language.” Microsoft Encarta

Reference Library 2003. CD- ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.Nyholm, Jens. “Danish Literature.” Microsoft Encarta

Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.

Bowern, Steven. 29 Sep. 2003 <http://www.stevenbowerman.com>.Bulfinch, Thomas. “Northern Mythology.” Bulfinch’s Mythology. 1996-1999. 27 Sep.

2003 <http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull38.html> CadêJur. 29 Sep. 2003 <www.cadejur.com.br/html/busca/mapa_scandinavia.asp>.“Celts.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002.Edwards, Marc B. 29 Sep. 2003

<www.marcedwards.com/company_history_info.htm>.Giacobazzi, Frederic. “Classical Norse: Ymir.” Image Gallery for the Study of Myth 26

Feb. 2001. 29 Sep. 2003 <

http://www.kirtland.cc.mi.us/honors/goddess/images/ymir.jpg>.Hinds, Margaret. 3 Sep. 2003. 29 Sep. 2003 <osfodin.ksc.nasa.gov/>.Landry, Michel. 29 Sep. 2003 <www.cvm.qc.ca/mlandry/folklore/vikings.JPG>.Malcolm, R. Brown, Jr. “Gamla Uppsala, Sweden.” 30 Apr. 2002. 27 Sep. 2003 <www.botany.utexas.edu/.../sweden/OldUppsala/default.htm>. Maurisoft. “Ginnungagap.” Abc Dioses. 29 Jan. 2002. 1 Oct. 2003 <http://abcdioses.noneto.com/escan/dioses1/ginungagap.htm>. “Scandinavian Mythology.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM.

Microsoft Corporation. 1993-2002. “Viking Art.” Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. CD-ROM. Microsoft

Corporation. 1993-2002.